


more than just a dream

by rainbowrabblerouser



Category: Re-Animator (Movies)
Genre: Fake/Pretend Relationship, Falling In Love, M/M, Marriage of Convenience, Post-Canon, Sharing a Bed, Shut Up Kiss
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-19
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:48:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 999
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23741791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainbowrabblerouser/pseuds/rainbowrabblerouser
Summary: Dan breaks Herbert out of jail.They have to get married.
Relationships: Daniel Cain/Herbert West
Comments: 6
Kudos: 44





	more than just a dream

**Author's Note:**

> "Out of My League" 
> 
> "Tricky"
> 
> \- Fitz & the Tantrums

Herbert’s in jail.

Well, technically, federal prison.

Ding!

It’s visitation hour.

No one ever came for him so when he got summoned, he wondered who it could be. Surely, not Dan. He was the one to turn him in.

Like a lame-o narc.

“Your husband is here to see you, West.”

“Must be a mistake. I don’t have one.”

“Well, he’s tall. And here. Out of your league.”

He wants to push the warden, but he has restraint.

Herbert sighs.

Better than rereading the books in his cell.

“I’ll be the judge of that.”

  
  


Dan sits down at the table.

Wow. This was a nice prison.

Guess the bigger the crime, the cleaner the jail.

  
  


“Hello,” Herbert eyes the guard watching them. “Husband.”

“Only said that so they’d let me through.”

“Well, I am most definitely out of your league.”

“Whatever you say.”

They talk.

Like there was something to say.

As if they were a couple, separated by time and circumstance.

Because Herbert is the bad boy who ruined Dan.

He ruined their lives because he wanted to jumpstart someone else’s.

Play God.

“Why are you here? Danny.”

“Just wanted to see how you’re doing.”

“Oh, I’m having a great time. In prison, Dan.”

“It’s a clean one. And good to know. I’m getting you out.”

  
  


Wonderful.

Sunlight feels good on Herbert’s skin.

“You can stay with me. I don’t have a guest room.”

“Wow, Daniel. Sleeping with me after you break me out.”

“It’s not–”

Herbert teased, “Guess you’re the bad one.”

Dan laughed. Herbert guessed he missed hearing that.

“Take me to dinner first.”

  
  


So he does.

Dan takes Herbert out to the mall.

He had been put in a maximum security detail in California.

With a bunch of criminals who were busted for tech crimes.

So he was with a bunch of nerds.

But they were terrified of him.

Because they knew what he was capable of – why he was convicted.

  
  


Dan isn’t afraid of him at all.

To him, Herbert’s just some dorky twink geek with a deathwish and a wish for death. He’s nothing.

So when Herbert eats two (2) whole large McFlurries in front of him, he pays no mind to the people staring at them.

Don’t mind them.

Just two former colleagues post-prison.

“How’d you afford to get me out?”

“You were on good behavior. And also we have to get married.”

“Oh. Wonderful.”

  
  


They seal the deal in city hall.

Dan feels so weird around the other people there.

Herbert is at ease.

He’s got on a shirt and tie that fit him perfectly.

Dan’s just wearing jeans and a Talking Heads shirt.

Like they were going to the mall or grocery store.

  
  


“Well, now we are married and I am a free man.”

“That means you can go anywhere. You don’t need to stay with me.”

“What if I want to, Dan? Is that so bad?”

“Are you guys done yet? Usually vows aren’t a conversation.”

The official looked tired. 

So was Dan, but here he was.

“Dan, I literally need you in my life. Like, legally.”

“You’re a prick and I don’t know why I’m doing this.”

“Maybe because a small part of you missed me.”

“Maybe so.”

They kissed and the official kicked them out.

  
  


Herbert crashes onto his bed as soon as they arrive back to Dan’s home.

It’s a nice little house in San Francisco.

He never really pegged him for a San Fran guy, but then again, Dan never pegged Herbert for a prison man.

“Move over.”

Dan got in with him as he took off his shirt.

Herbert’s sexy button-down was long gone on the floor by the time he went in. He was wearing one of Dan’s shirts. It was too big for him.

But he liked it.

It’s got “weezer” on the front. Herbert had discovered them in the car.

“They’re cooler than Talking Heads, Danny.”

“Shut the fuck up.”

  
  


Dan took Herbert in his arms and took his glasses off, then set them on the table for him. Next to the alarm clock and the Capri Sun he got for Herbert.

Herbert had taken Dan’s dog tag from when they were in Peru and wore it around his neck like it was some precious thing. 

“Now you don’t need to get me a ring.”

Dan scoffed at him. He always thought Herbert was a weird little man.

“What about me?”

“You get to have me. All of me. That should be enough.”

“What a wife you are!”

Herbert tucked his head under Dan’s and exhaled. Soon after Dan wrapped his arms around him and kissed him silly, he fell asleep against him.

Dan suspects he’ll wake up now.

This is the part where he wakes up alone in a lonely bed and Herbert was still in jail. Gone. But instead, he dozes off with his husband– he can’t wrap his head around using the word– and feels soft for the first time in his life.

  
  


When he wakes up, Herbert is still all over him.

He looks so nice. Peaceful, even.

No glasses on and hair a mess.

“I know you’re staring,” Herbert mumbled into his neck, not opening his eyes. “Danny.”

“You’re the only one who really calls me that.”

“What is it, other than a variation of your name?”

“It’s special.”

Herbert hums and shifts a little bit.

“What do we do now? With this?”

“I don’t know. I’ve just been teaching kids. And feeding birds in the park. Thinking about you.”

“Well, I’m here. And yours now. Have you ever named the birds?”

“No.”

“Now that makes it sad.”

Dan messes his hair up even more and kisses him.

“No, what makes it sad is that we had to get married for you to break out.”

“Oh, shut up. You like me. Always have.”

“Maybe.”

“That warden was foolish. No damn way. I am way out of your league.”

Herbert gets a kiss to shut him up.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> tumblr: @rainbowrabblerouser


End file.
